Here are a selection of spaceflight anniversaries occurring in May.
- 5 May 1961 Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space, and the first person to make a sub-orbital spaceflight, on Mercury-Redstone 3.
- 18 May 1969 Apollo 10 is launched, testing the Apollo Lunar Module in lunar orbit.
- 18 May 1991 Helen Sharman becomes the first British person in space, aboard Soyuz TM-12.
- 25 May 1977 The science fiction film Star Wars opens in cinemas.